Well I kinda figured. I can take heart at least Baldwin was grown in Jacksonville and McClenny Florida in a climate much like ours. Albeit 125 years ago…lol
Black Oxford just sounds like a tasty apple. I will try Milden from up north too. Next year.
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i figured in more warmer areas it wouldn’t be as bullet proof. we have very little issues with fireblight here. y. transparent is blight prone yet grows wild everywhere and I’ve never seen a blight strike on the ones i forage from. matter of fact I’ve only seen strikes on home orchard trees. not sure of the varieties. knock on wood i haven’t seen it here yet but have only had apples and their relatives here about 6 yrs now.
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What @TNHunter said is consistent with my experience here in east AL: the late bloomers get a lot more FB than the early bloomers. That said, the early ones can get some serious FB too, just not as many strikes. Im getting hits even with spraying strep before rains. I would not let a tree flower until its 4-5 yrs old and blooms are plenty far from the main trunk, unless seriously spraying strep and inspecting for strikes daily.
goldrush is my earliest bloomer. Terry winter, yates, king david. Sundowner, red limbertwig, carters blue, and lady williams flower are next and also get hit more than GR but still less than lete ones, in my yard. But GR is the only one i like much for fresh eating in this climate. But i think they would all be toast if i wast spraying strep. Breaking off late flowering shoots also helps.
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So your King David isn’t much for eating out of hand? Lacking taste or texture?
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They have minimal sugar, pretty tart, get soft before they fully color up, and they tend to drop early. I just dont think they ripen properly in this heat. Some of them have a nice zip to them but i like a better sweet tart balance. They ripen in August when its super hot and humid here.
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What part of Alabama are you in? King David is one I’ve been planning to get
Interesting. Here in 8A Maryland King David is the favorite apple in a 50 variety orchard I designed for friends.
Yes. I have been on the lookout for apple varieties that prefer long hot summers. I picked Etter’s Gold and want Waltana for that reason. A few English apples are said to be the same way. Kevin Hauser swears by King David. I thought it would be a good hot climate apple.
Strange; I note many West coast warm climate apples do poorly here. And Hauser remarks some of our old standby’s do poorly out west. Dry heat versus wet heat?